I said last week that when Gerrard was fit, Benayoun’s best position was on the right. But in the absence of the skipper, there’s no way he should be pushed out to the left.

And while I have no problem with Torres being taken off at Fulham given his issues getting back to full fitness, I couldn’t understand Benayoun being taken off.

He’s not someone that Rafael Benitez can afford to alienate now, especially if Gerrard does have an operation and faces a long spell on the sidelines.

Benayoun needs to be put in the middle instead of being stuck out wide and waiting for the ball to be played out to him, and told he is the main man to play off Torres.

To me, that’s just going back to basics.

While Mascherano and Lucas are both sitting in the midfield, there’s never going to be enough invention coming from the creative areas so Benayoun simply has to be up alongside a main striker. That’s where he can influence things.

It gives Torres the best chance of being allowed to play the game he wants and that gives Liverpool the best chance of wining games.

And let’s face it, tomorrow night at Lyon that is exactly what they have to do.

And despite the current run, I truly believe they can. It wouldn’t be the first time Benitez has defied the pressure surrounding him to pull off a masterstroke, particularly in Europe.

Going to Lyon is not like going to the Bernabeu or the Nou Camp. It’s a nice ground with nothing intimidating about it.

And they have had better teams than this in the past – they are beatable.

Despite the defensive problems currently plaguing Liverpool, I still think they remain a disciplined outfit when they have to be, they don’t get cut up by teams.

And in most games they tend to have more of the ball then the opposition.

So the players need to make the best use of it and that means sticking Benayoun up there with Torres and going all out for the three points that will keep the Champions League campaign alive.

As far as I’m concerned that’s not even a gamble.

And it’s one of those nights when, if the team is set up right, over-relying on Torres won’t be a bad thing.

Mark Lawrenson was talking to NICK SMITH